This invention relates to an attachment for a cement chute and more particularly to an attachment for a cement chute capable of directing the flow of cement and cutting off the flow of cement at the appropriate time, while avoiding or minimizing waste of the cement.
Since the Romans discovered the use of cement for construction purposes, great uses for this extremely valuable material are clearly possible. This material greatly simplifies construction processes. Because this application is directed to material flow--especially as it relates to cement or concrete--cement and concrete are used interchangeably.
One of the great improvements over the Roman method of making concrete is the use of the cement truck. The Roman hand method of mixing cement was used until the development machines, such as the cement truck. The cement truck provides the mix of the cement at the job site and helps to form the mix during transit. The power applied cement making cylinder attached to the truck provides for greater use of cement, in that the cement may be more easily transported, while at the same time being appropriately mixed to achieve the desired consistency in resulting mixture.
Typically these trucks have chutes which are used to dispense the concrete from the mixing apparatus. One of the problems with the use of the chute has been to achieve cutting off the flow of the cement at the appropriate time while accomplishing this cut off efficiently. At the same time, it is highly desired to be able to direct the flow of the cement to the desired point efficiently. This at times is an extremely difficult process because of the weight and consistency of the cement. In fact, some devices designed to accomplish these desired results simply do not work. Even if a workable device is obtained, the weight and force of the cement can sometimes jam a chute closing device such that the device does not work efficiently.
Another major problem with delivering cement is the difficulty of directing or focusing the cement to the exact place of desired delivery. This is especially difficult if the space is somewhat confined. Typical of the confined spaces are footings, wall forms, masonry block cells, wall framings, casting molds or other confined places. While these forms are very useful, they are difficult to make. The tight space confines in these and other closely confined areas lead to great difficulties.
An additional advantage to a cement chute attachment is achieved if the cement chute attachment can be secured to a variety of different types of chutes. In this fashion the cement chute attachment could be removed from one chute to another without the neccessity of having the plurality of chute attachments in stock.
It is required to efficiently stop the flow of cement from the chute because material is otherwise wasted and cleanup of the wasted material is a major problem. It thus becomes critical to provide a device, which avoids wasting material and assists in the directing of the material flow. Clearly, there are a substantial number of problems to be solved in order to use cement more efficiently. If a simplified delivery and direction system can be developed, cement or concrete can become even more useful than presently recognized.